Saturday, November 16, 2013

The Suffocating Sea

DI Andy Horton and Sergeant Barney Cantelli have been called out to a fire on a boat in the Portsmouth marina.  There is a corpse, whose charred remains indicate murder, as the head was crushed in on one side.  The pathologist informs Horton that the victim was suffering from advanced stages of cancer.

The victim is a financier from Guernsey.  Earlier in the day of the fire, he was visited by a solicitor from the same island.  When Horton contacts a police colleague on Guernsey, he finds out that the solicitor, a reputable man, is missing.  Later that night there is another fire, this time on Guernsey.  Another victim is found; the missing solicitor.

The first victim had been seen in a church, so when Horton questions the witness, he discovers that the church's priest had died a few hours before the first victim.  The witness is sure it wasn't a natural death.  Horton wonders what ties them together.  He receives an urgent call from the new vicar to the church later in the day.  Upon arrival, he discovers the body of the vicar and finds himself locked in the vestry and seconds later the room is fire bombed.

As Horton delves deeper into the investigation more questions arise.  The night that Horton's boat with him in it is fire bombed, he is sure he is on the right track.  Author Pauline Rawson creates a lot of tension as she builds the story in the final chapters.  A very good read.

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